Previous BSU Colts Cheerleaders:
Breanna Fonner-2008
Lauren Greene-2008
Larissa Stanfield-2008
Jessica Melendez-2008
Source: bsu.edu
Forty-six women anxiously stood backstage at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in Indianapolis.
Megan Rybolt, a sophomore speech pathology major, clutched the hands nearest to her as she waited to hear for her number to be called.
Twenty-six numbers were read before Indianapolis Colts cheerleading manager Kelly Tilley reached Rybalt’s.
“Number 31 and 36,” said Tilley.
The 28 girls accepted onto the Colts cheerleading team for the 2014 season rushed into a dressing room to throw on the signature blue and white uniform to perform the final showcase routine. Later that night, Rybalt danced alongside her new teammates.
Just two years before, however, Rybalt pulled her hamstring during a high school dance competition her senior year.
“It was the worst thing ever,” she said. “I was lying on the floor.”
Rybalt has been dancing since she was three years old. Her injury then rendered her unable to continue on with her love of dance.
Her acceptance to Purdue University Calumet soon followed high school. This year, Rybalt transferred to Ball State in order to partake in the school’s speech pathology program.
Later in the year, a conversation with a friend reignited Rybalt’s dance ambitions.
“We were talking about it and I never thought my mom would let me audition, considering I’m here and I’d have to drive back and forth so much,” she said.
Another friend living in Indy offered to house Rybalt on late nights and weekends. Rybalt then pitched the possibility to her mom who consented.
Her dream to continue dancing was reignited.
“I was so nervous. I had no idea what I was capable of doing anymore. I didn’t know if I could turn. I didn’t know if I was still flexible,” Rybalt said.
Megan Rybolt, a sophomore speech pathology major, poses with the 28 other women that made the Colts Cheerleading team. The auditions lasted for over a month where they were tested on many different things. PHOTO PROVIDED BY KELLY TILLEY
She began testing her flexibility and working out in preparation, but said she neglected her dance technique.
“Going into it this year, I was not expecting to make it at all,” she said. “They said usually your first year going into it, not knowing what to expect, girls usually don’t make it.”
The auditions lasted a month and a half and included workshops, a test on football knowledge, a paneled interview, rigorous fitness testing and swimsuit modeling.
Rybalt’s technical dance background was a large benefit to her while learning the choreographed routines.
Paige Martin, a freshman dietetics major and friend of Rybalt’s coached her throughout the process. Martin tried out for the team the previous year and provided Rybalt with a list of dos and don’ts for the audition process.
“I knew the coach was looking for a new skill and I think that’s why she made it: because she had that dance skill,” Martin said. “All around, it’s a pretty difficult thing to do.”
For the school aspect, Rybalt faced the challenge of balancing her schoolwork with the time-consuming audition process.
She said she had a supportive network of friends and family, which helped ease her difficulties.
“I missed my math class for two weeks. It was hard because math is one of my worst subjects, but my teacher helped me out and let me catch up on everything once I was done with the entire audition process,” she said.
Next year, Rybalt scheduled the majority of her classes on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays to accommodate for Tuesday and Thursday practices.
She said she looks forward to performing at Lucas Oil Stadium next year, dancing for an audience like she used to before her injury.
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